Chapter 22 Family Ties
The car ride back to the Vipers' Pit was the quietest thirty minutes of my life. My father, Arthur Vance, sat in the back seat between me and Leo.
The smell of his expensive cologne filled the small space, making it hard to breathe.
"So," Arthur said, his voice smooth and cold. "The school is talking. The internet is talking. And now, I am talking."
I gripped my hands together in my lap. "Dad, it’s not what it looks like."
Arthur didn't even turn his head toward me. "I don't care what it looks like, Elena. I care about what it is. A Vance does not end up on a jumbotron in a dirty equipment room with a boy who has nothing to his name but a scholarship I could erase with a phone call."
He turned his icy gaze to Leo. "Leo. You are the Captain. You live in that house. You are supposed to be the gatekeeper. Tell me clearly, is your sister involved with this boy?."
My heart stopped. I looked at Leo, pleading with my eyes. Leo hated me right now. He was disgusted by the lies. He could end Jaxson’s career right here, right now, just by telling the truth.
Leo stared out the window for a long beat. His jaw was so tight I thought it might snap. Finally, he spoke.
"No," Leo said. His voice was flat. "The photo was a prank. One of the rival teams, the Hawks, staged it to mess with our heads before the playoffs. Jaxson was helping her with some gear, and someone took a shot from a bad angle to make it look like something else."
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "A prank?"
"Yes," Leo lied. He didn't look at me. "It’s been handled. Miller knows his place."
Arthur watched Leo for a long time. He was looking for a crack in the story. Finally, he leaned back against the leather seat. "Good. Because if I find out a scholarship student is touching a member of this family, I won't just bench him. I will ruin him. Is that understood?".
"Understood," Leo muttered.
"And what led to Elena being in that position," Arthur said, his voice dropping an octave. "I pay for that house so you can win trophies, not so you can host a soap opera. How did this boy, this Miller, get close enough to her to be in the same room?"
Leo’s jaw was tight. I could see a vein pulsing in his neck. "He’s a rookie, Dad. He’s always around the rink. I keep him on a short leash."
"Clearly not short enough," Arthur snapped. "I remember the boy’s file. His father is a nobody. His mother has debts. He is at this school on a gift from the board, a gift I helped sign. Do you understand how it looks if my daughter is seen with a charity case?"
"He’s the best player we’ve got" Leo said, his voice hard. "If you pull him, the team dies. Is that what you want? To lose the championship because of a photo?"
Arthur leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "I would rather lose a hundred championships than lose the dignity of this name."
He turned back to me, his expression cold and flat. "You will go to your classes. You will go to your meetings. But you will not be seen in public with any member of that team except your brother. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Dad," I whispered.
"And Leo," Arthur added as the car pulled up to the house. "If I have to fly back here again, I won't be coming to talk. I’ll be coming to pack your things. Both of you."
He didn't say goodbye. He didn't offer a hug. He just waited for the door to open so we could disappear from his sight.
The car sped off, and the two of us stood on the driveway. The moment the tail lights disappeared, the "family" act ended. Leo turned and walked into the house, slamming the front door.
I followed him inside. The living room was empty, but I could hear the muffled sounds of the other players upstairs. Jaxson was nowhere to be seen.
"Leo, thank you," I said, my voice trembling. "For lying to him. I know you’re mad, but—"
Leo spun around. He didn't yell. His anger had turned into something much colder. He pointed a finger at me, then at the stairs.
"I didn't do it for you," Leo hissed. "And I didn't do it for him. I did it because if Dad pulls the scholarship, the team loses its best scorer, and I lose my season. I’m protecting the Vipers. That’s it."
"Leo, please—"
"Listen to me carefully, Elena," he said, stepping into my space. "As of right now, the 'family' is dead. We aren't friends. I’m not your big brother who protects you. I’m just a guy who lives in this house. You stay on your side. He stays in his room. If I see you two together, I’m calling Dad back myself. I’ve drawn the line. Don’t cross it."
He walked past me, hitting my shoulder as he went. He didn't look back.
I stood in the kitchen, shivering. The house felt like a refrigerator. I waited until I heard Leo’s door slam upstairs. I waited until the house went quiet.
I crept up the stairs, my heart pounding. I reached Jaxson’s door and knocked softly.
There was no answer. I turned the handle; it was unlocked.
The room was dark. Jaxson was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. He was still in his undershirt, his ribs heavily taped from the hit he took on the ice. He looked broken.
"Jax?" I whispered.
He looked up, his eyes tired. "You shouldn't be here, princess. Leo will go crazy."
"He's in his room," I said, closing the door quietly behind me. "My dad is gone. Leo lied for us, Jax. He saved your scholarship."
Jaxson let out a long, shaky breath. "He didn't do it for us. He told me the same thing in the hall. He’s keeping me around because he wants the trophy."
I walked over and sat next to him.
Without a word, Jaxson leaned back onto the pillows, pulling me with him.
We didn't talk about the team or my father. We just lay there, tangled together. I put my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was the only place in the world where I felt like I could actually breathe.
"We'll get through this, won't we?" I whispered into the dark.
Jaxson’s grip on me tightened. He kissed the top of my head. "We will."